As it has since the beginning of time, technology is transforming agriculture. The rise of agritech is enabling farmers to cultivate the highest yielding and best quality produce while conserving resources. The Internet of Things— sensor technology capturing data on the physical environment–is at the very helm of this transformation, equipping farmers with the data they need to make the best decisions for their businesses. Is your business keeping up?

Data quality over quantity

The more you measure, the more you know. Gathering large quantities of data is a great way to identify patterns and opportunities for optimization and greater efficiency. But as with most things, when it comes to data, it’s quality that’s most important. Rather than aiming to quantify their environment in its entirety, farmers should start with the low-hanging fruit: prioritize the most important information, and expand their sensor network as needed. Is crop surface temperature more relevant than greenhouse occupancy? Begin there, and add new types of sensors when necessary. As long as it’s consistent, sensor data can provide relevant and actionable insights that impact farmers’ bottom line well before every single metric has been measured.

Sensors for precision agriculture

Wireless sensors are a practical, quick and easy to deploy means of augmenting agribusiness capabilities. They can increase the efficiency and accuracy of (previously) manual data collection, capture data from remote or difficult to reach areas and guarantee consistency with real-time monitoring. Insights from strategically placed sensors can help farmers respond more quickly to changing circumstances and make more tailored, precise decisions in crop cultivation.

No IT needed

Powerful technology doesn’t have to be difficult to implement. Plug and play solutions like the 30MHz Sensor Toolkit enable you to set up a network of sensors and start tracking your environment with notifications and analytics without the need for IT or expensive consultancies.

Out of the box and ready to deploy, these sensors will start generating insights immediately. From cultivation to processing and storage, below are three sensors that can start transforming your agribusiness within a day:

Temperature Humidity Sensor

Track moisture and temperature inside your greenhouse, cold storage container or processing facility. CNB Bulbs uses the sensor for long-term remote monitoring in extreme temperatures. Sensors are placed into sealed enclosures for 9 months and provide continuous feedback on cold storage conditions, ensuring an optimal environment without manual checks. Our customers use  the sensors to monitor lab conditions, streamline bulb processing, and optimize greenhouse environments.

Counter Sensor

Designed with Pop Vriend Seeds, this sensor is made to count objects on a conveyor belt. One of the leading vegetable breeders for the global market, Pop Vriend uses the counter to optimize production lines. The sensor counts passing bags, while the ZENSIE dashboard displays data for dates and times.

Pointed Temperature Sensor

Developed with Dutch pepper farmers Kwekerij Moors, this infrared temperature sensor was built to flexibly capture the surface temperature of vegetables, regardless of shape. Designed to prevent burn in fruits, vegetables, and leaves, this sensor is central to helping the farmers at Moors determine the best mix of water and nutrients needed to grow the best product. Easy to adjust and move around a greenhouse, even a few of these sensors go a long way.